6A the university daily kansan
wednesday,august 27,2003
news
Program needs teachers; faces possible elimination
By Steve Schmidt
sschmidt@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Harold Nelson has a bone to pick with the Student Senate.
For 15 years, the Quail Run Elementary school counselor has worked with more than 100 University of Kansas students in the Youth Educational Services program.
KU students act as tutors at elementary, junior and high schools in the city — including Quail Run.
Nelson said he was tired of the program having to prove its worth to the Student Senate and the Board of Regents through letters by parents and testimonies.
He said its worth was already evident in the program's alumni that had gone on to teaching jobs
as experienced educators.
"The good that program provides, words can't describe," Nelson said, adding that it "shouldn't be placed in a pickle and have to fight for money."
Unfortunately for Nelson and everyone else involved, the program has taken its share of cuts.
YES coordinator Stephanie Craig, Edmund, Okla., sophomore, said the total hours the tutors would work this year would be trimmed to 220, 30 less than last year. Tutors work two to 15 hours a week.
Last year the program lost 10 of its 40 tutors to graduation, among other reasons, at the end of the fall semester.
Ann Hartley, associate director of career and employment services, said the program couldn't hire replacements for the fall after
the minimum wage for University student jobs increased to $6 from $5.15.
"It was kind of unfortunate because those schools kind of did without," Hartley said. "That's how we coped with that as far as stretching the year financially."
Hartley said about $19,000 in program funding would come from the Board of Regents. An additional $9,000 will come from the Educational Opportunity Fund grant, which is overseen by the Student Senate. That's a $1,000 increase but still nothing close to the $56,718 the program first received in Fall 1989, not adjusted for inflation.
Linda Mullens, associate vice provost for student success, said back then the YES program was one of about 10 programs applying for Educational Opportunity Fund grant money. That number is now up to about 40 programs.
But Nelson said the program shouldn't have to battle with other programs.
"It's unfair for them to go through the Senate and be compared to other programs that do not provide the resources that the YES program does," Nelson said.
Student Senate's Educational Opportunity Fund Committee oversees how the entire grant is allocated. Five students and two faculty members make up the committee, with the student body president serving as chairman.
The YES program was originally started by a student legislative lobbying group, the Associated Students of Kansas, in 1988. The group wanted to look at programs that would positively affect high-risk kids at local schools through tutoring and mentoring, said Diane Lindeman, director of student financial assistance at the Board of Regents.
She said the University's program was the most active in the state.
Nelson said he could see the effectiveness of the program and its activity in the community.
"The students aren't just run-of-the-mill students. They're very conscientious. If they didn't get paid, they'd volunteer." Nelson said.
Nelson said the program could thrive even more if tutors could spend more of their time working with kids and less time pondering
the program's possible extinction.
"They've been raked over the coals and I'm resentful of that because you can't focus if you're worried about its existence," Nelson said.
Craig said applications for the program were available. Deadlines aren't set because individual schools choose the applicants themselves. She planned to have the average number of 40 tutors this year.
"We're looking for energetic, outgoing people, students who are excited about working with kids and are ready to become part of a child's life," Craig said.
for more information, call Stephanie Craigat 864-7671.
— Edited by Ehren Meditz
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